Ellie's Healthy Breakfast Cookies Recipe

This delicious breakfast recipe for healthy cookies comes from Ellie Krieger, of The Food Network fame. I love her sensible approach to healthy cooking and eating.

3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup (1 small jar) strained carrot baby food

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup bran cereal flakes

1/3 cup raisins or dried cranberries

1/3 cup walnut pieces, lightly toasted and chopped

Place rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together flours, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt until well combined.

In a large bowl, beat butter, oil and sugars with an electric mixer on medium high speed, until sugars have dissolved and mixture is light in color, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula if necessary to make sure everything is well blended.

Add egg, carrot puree and vanilla and beat an additional 30 seconds.

Add flour mixture and beat an additional 30 seconds.

Add oats, flakes, raisins or dried cranberries, and walnuts and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Dough will be slightly sticky and less cohesive than traditional cookie dough.

Using 3 to 4 tablespoons of batter, form a ball and place on a lined cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining batter, spacing about 3 inches apart.

Wet hands and use palm of hand to flatten cookies until about 1/4-inch thick.

Bake for 12 minutes, until cookies are fragrant but still soft in the center.

Remove from the oven and let cookies cool slightly, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.